Chain fastener



Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,492

` L. H. SOENS CHAlN FASTENER Filed March l5, 1926 Patented Dec. 21,19.26.

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sonne, or Matroos, comitato, .assiettes or omi-HALF iro vieron n.

or stances,

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ennnv res-Tanna.

Implication filed March i5, 1926.

ylhe invention relates to improvements in novices for fastening chainsand the like and it has reference more particularly to devices ot thisclass designed primarily for use upon the side chains ot' the ordinarytire chain.

It is the object ot' the invention to provide a new and improved formoit' fastener emlcodyingg` novel means for tightly holding' the devicein locked position, while permitting' its release when desired,provision being made whereby a rotatable sleeve which locks y the devicein operative position, will he tightly held in its effective position,hy a wedpging,` action.

With the 'foregoing' in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, the description beingsupplemented hy the accompanying; drawing.

Figs. 1 and 3 are side elevations showing` the device respectivelyreleased and locked.

Figs. 2 and 4 are plan views showing' the device in the positions otFigs. 1 and 3 respectively.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view as indicated hy line 5 5 of Fig.4. Y

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views on line 6 6 of Fig.l 4,showing the sleeve in locked and released posit-ion respectively. i

Fig: 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form ofconstruction.

The structural details herein disclosed, may be considered as preferred,with the understanding however that within the scope of the invention asclaimed, various modifications may he made.

The numeral 9 designates an elongated shank having a lateral hook 10 atone end and an eye or the like 11 at its other end, the lat-ter beingadapted for connection to one end of the side chain 12. rihe shank 9 isformed with a longitudinal recess or channel 13 which opens laterallyand communicates at one end with a slot 14 formed through thevhook 10,the other end ot said groove communicating with an opening 15, in thepresent disclosure.

An arm 16 is provided with a hooked end 17 which is pivoted at 1S in theslot 14, this arm and its hook being engageahle with a link on the otherend of the side chain 12, the primary function of the hook 17, being tothrow this link out ot' the hook 10, when ymove through said notch, whenswine'i Serial No. 94.832.

the arm 16 is swung outwardly. rihe outer end of arm 16 is provided, inthe present disclosure, with an auxiliary hook 19 for engagement withthe side chain when initially adjusting the tire chain to the wheel, andwhen the arm 16 is swung over tow rd the shank 9, said hook 19 isreceived in the opening' '15, a portion ot' the width of said arm 16,beingthen received in the groove 13, while the remainder of such widthprojects laterally from the shank yThis projecting portion of the arm 1Gis termed with a notch 2O at the .tree end of the arm, providing; thisarm with a shoulder rmed by the inner end of said notch, and with innerand outer portions 22 and at the inner and outer sides et said notch,tor purposes to appear. f y

A sleeve 24 is rotatable about the shank 9 and at its outer edge,contacts with an abut- .nicnt 25 on said shank, this sleeve being'termed with a notch 2G which opens througijh its rear edge torregistration with the groove i3, so that the arm portion 22 may i) arm1G from oneposition to the other. l/"Vhen arm 16 is swung inwardly andthe sleeve is turned, the inner portion of said sleeve is received inthe notch 2O and is then in the outward path ot the arm portion 22, sothat arm 16 cannot swing outwardly. Then, the arm portion 23 is ofcourse at the exterior oi the sleeve 24 and it will be seen from' Fig. 6and Fig. 7 primarily, that the radial thickness ot the sleeve isgradually increased, providing a wedge formation 27 to tio'htly wedgebetween the arm portions 22 and 23, thus serving to tightly hold thesleeve in operative position. By reference to other views, it will alsoloe seen that the width Vof the sleeve 24 is given an increase asindicated at 28, thus permitting;` said sleeve to wedge between theshoulder 21 and the abutment 25, when it is rotated to operativepositionl By combining these two wedging actions in the single device,the fastener may he locked so tightly that it is practically animpossibility for it to become accidently released while in operation,Yet, when the sleeve 24 is positively turned in the proper direction toalign its notch 26 with the groove 13, the arm 16 may loe easily swungoutwardly. To limit the movement of the sleeve in this direction, it

is preferably provided with an appropriate stop 29 to strike the arm 16.

It desired, instead ot having the sleeve 24- directly engage theabutment 25, a spring washer 30 may be interposed between the two, asindicated'in Fig. 8, said washer being' of any desired formation.

It will be seen from the foregoing` that while the invention is rathersimple and in expensive, it will be highly eliicient and in every waydesirable. As previously stated, the details disclosed may be consideredas preferred, with the understanding that nuinerous variations may bemade within the scope ot the invention as claimed.

l claim:

l. in a chain fastener, a shank having a laterally opening; recess, anarm pivoted to the shank and having a tree end portion whose width ispartly received in said recess, the remainingl width of said end ot thearin projecting laterally trom the shank and having' a notch which opensaway from the arm pivot an abutment on the shank spaced outwardly fromthe notched end of the arm, and a rotatable sleeve surrounding the shankand oit a width to extend from the inner end ot said notch to saidabutment, said sleeve having' a notch opening` through its inner edge`for registration with said recess, to permit inward or outward swingingot said arm, said sleeve being receivable inthe notch of the arm whenrotated to bring its notch out ol" register1 with said recess andhavingl Va wedge formation which tioht f binds it in place when sorotated.

2. A. structure as specilied in claim l; said wedge 'formation beingprovided by an increase in the width ot the sleeve, whereby the sleevewill bind against the inner end oi" the arm notch and said abutment.

3. A structure as specilied in claim l; said wi to .ation beingvprovided by an incL e in the radial thickness oi" the sleeve, wherebythe sleeve will bind against the side walls ol the arni notch.

a structure as specified in claim l; said `e torination being providedby an in'- creise in the width ot' the sleeve, and by an inei yase inthe radial thickness of the sleeve whereby the sleeve will bind againstthe side walls 01"' the arm notch and against both the inner end ot thisnotch and the aforesaid abutment.

In a chain fastener, a shank, a sleeve rotatable thereon and having; anotch, an arm pivoted to the shank and having a portion movable throughsaid notch, said arm having` a shoulder at the inner end of saidportion, and an abutment on the shank engaging the outer edqe of thesleeve, said sleeve haring an increase in width, to wedge between saidshoulder and said abutment when rotated, said sleeve then lying in theoutward path ot the aforesaid arm portion.

l. Yin. a chain Jastener, a shank, a sleeve rotatable thereon andhavinga notch, and an i pivot/ed lo the shank, said arm having a portionmovable through said notch 'for di )osition at the interior of thesleeve when the l. is rotated and also having,` a. portion rordisposition at the exterior oit said sleeve, the .atter having anincrease in radial thickness to cause it to wedge between said armportions.

ln testin'iony whereof l have hereunto ai lined my signature.

LOUIS H. SOENS.

